Say No To Toilet Stains

There are few things in life that are more disgusting than a dirty toilet. You probably don’t want to use one, and you don’t want house guests and visitors to see one in your home. We’ve got the tips you need to purge your porcelain of stains.

CHECK MANUFACTURER’S INSTRUCTIONS

First and foremost, you want to be sure you don’t damage your toilet as you clean. Certain cleaning products can corrode the internal workings of your toilet—the flapper, for example—while others can result in discoloration. Read over the manufacturer’s instructions for each component. If you don’t have the manufacturer’s instructions, you may be able to find them online.

CLEANING THE INSIDE OF A TOILET BOWL

For simple cleaning, you can use your toilet brush and distilled white vinegar. Let about ½ cup of vinegar sit in your toilet for a few minutes. Then scrub with your toilet brush.You can also clean the rim with vinegar. Simply spray the vinegar on the rim and let it sit for a few minutes before wiping it clean with a microfiber cloth.

TOILET BOWL STAIN REMOVAL

When it comes to toilet bowl stain removal, you’re going to have to put in a little elbow grease. There are three main culprits that result in a stained toilet: hard water, mildew and mold. Here’s how to clean each:

Hard water: When you're dealing with hard water stains, make a paste of borax and vinegar and hit that dirty toilet with a scrub brush. Tip: When making your own cleaners, always be mindful of cleaning products you shouldn’t combine.

Mildew: First, flush the toilet to drain as much water as possible. Next, spray mildew stains with distilled white vinegar and scrub until you can’t see anymore streaks or waterlines. You may need to repeat the flushing and scrubbing process a few times.

Mold: Not all molds are toxic, but many are. Because of this, you should leave mold removal to experts like ServiceMaster Clean.

CLEANING THE TOILET BOWL LID

Those toilet bowl lids can get pretty filthy, too, so you don’t want to overlook them when tackling a dirty toilet. Before you get started, do a spot test before using any cleaning products on a colored toilet seat. Otherwise, you might find yourself in the market for a new toilet bowl lid.You can find plenty of products for cleaning the toilet bowl lid at the grocery store but you can also make your own cleaner from baking soda. All you have to do is apply the baking soda to stained areas and scour them with a dampened scrubbing sponge.

GETTING THE GRIME OUT OF TOILET GROUT

Your toilet base is going to be sealed into the floor using either toilet grout or caulk. Both of these materials have a tendency to attract stains and mildew. Here’s how to clean them:

Toilet grout: Purge your porcelain of dirty toilet grout with a toothbrush and some homemade grout cleaner or oxygenated bleach. Cleaning stains and mildew from toilet grout takes effort, but the end result is well worth it.

Toilet caulk: You can use a toothbrush and simple kitchen items to clean the caulk around your toilet base. Soak the toothbrush in lemon juice or distilled white vinegar and scrub those stains away.

Cleaning a dirty toilet isn’t the most pleasant of chores, but seeing that bowl shine can make your home feel tidier. Looking for tips for the rest of the house? We’ve got professional cleaning advice to help you get your house looking great from top to bottom.